Hello my friends. MIA last week – suddenly there it was 11pm and…. well, you can guess the rest – just too tired to write, edit, post. Sorry folks! However, having survived yet another wintry spell here in Britain, when the temperature on the North Wales coast was around -10 with the wind chill factor, today (Tuesday), I was out with a short sleeved top and no coat, cloudless blue skies and the sun shining!!! When we step out of the door we have to be prepared for anything at the moment. So, a few photos, including my current work desk, which show my life in the last couple of weeks…

I woke Sunday morning to find a white world – not unusual, you may think, but I live by the sea – so the temperatures rarely go down to snow!! However…

On the way to church – there was snow on the beach. Couldn’t resist having the camera out and seeing what I could see… the answer was – not a lot! It was blowing a hooley and blizzarding at the time. I had only seen snow on the beach once before… so… just for you – another one!

The land trying to appear through the murk is the Great Orme in Llandudno – usually bright and clear – but not on Sunday! So, what to do when it’s that cold? You snuggle up warm, turn up the heating and…

…. crochet together the very last of those double knitting squarish squares. Yes, 17 bin bags full have now all been put together over the past few years (no, not all by me!) to make blankets for the children in Uganda. Finishing this blanket gave me an enormous sense of thrill for those children….

…. you make a special card for a really faithful customer at Step Inside who has had a hip replacement, then you get everyone to sign it for her…

…. you make a load more cards for the hotel because they have already sold 10% of the stock you gave them – and then take the most appalling photographs of them…

… and you continue to use Pollyanna Pickering’s images because they are so popular with the guests! When I went to the Manchester show in February I spoke with Circa Designs as to whether they had a stamp of this Serenity Prayer. The only ones I could find on the internet were American – so were more difficult to order. The lady there on the stall asked me to do some research, let her have it, and she would see what she could come up with. Ta-da!!! It’s just lovely, and now readily available on their website. Sorry – a bit of advertising there – but what a beautiful advert for a company who goes the extra mile for its customers.

So, as you can see, through the past couple of weeks I have been working all over the house – upstairs and down. And today?

…It’s the turn of the dining table. I’m back making bags… Remember the 110 I cut out?… well, I thought I would make a few myself. No, I promise not to make them all. I have actually given out 30 already to be made by others, Jan(LLJ) has made some, and yesterday I had an offer from another church to make some. Brilliant! Soon have them all ready to go out to Uganda. So far I have managed a grand total of 2!

So, that’s me this fine day. I trust all is well with you wherever you are in this glorious, but oh so sad, world.

Take care. God bless.

Margaret

Hello my friends. I do hope this finds you well and safe – particularly if, in Britain, you have been around huge snow drifts, arctic temperatures, and no way to get out of your home! Well, here is an opportunity to look outward and have a good nosy round some of the world’s workspaces! Here’s mine!

The desk has seen a fair bit of use this week, as you can see by all the drawers spread out at the top of the stairs! What can we see today? From right to left, a half finished card, a glass mat (decided to do some different things, so needed a surface for paint), cutting mat with scissors, DST, Scalpel etc.,  baby wipes, a watercolour pad, my tool box, a box of electric tea lights not put away, and then up higher to the left, a pile of Christmas images etc., in the hope I may soon be like the rest of you and making Christmas cards, then on the floor a basket into which go finished cards for the hotel, a bag of bits again not put away, and a drawer of Distress inks, chalks, paints, and some coloured waxes.

Presumably all this has led to the creation of something?? yes indeed.

A few cards – the top two and the three on the left are all my own photographic images – worked on in Serif, then printed straight onto a card base – trying out some ideas. The four bottom right are all Pollyanna Pickering images.

But I haven’t only been busy at my desk on the landing… There in the lounge in the evenings…

Looks gorgeous – but wasn’t an easy one! So many different shades of red!!

Today I thought “I want to do something different”. I see the amazing work you all do on 3D multi media projects… and decided I wanted to have a little go… Nothing like any of yours, but a complete departure from the comfort zone for me!

Compared with your work it is incredibly simple – but I did it!! I had bought this picture frame – made of thick cardboard – some time back, and painted it with a rich red wax last autumn. Yes, it was to be a Christmas present. Oh well, another year! The white poppies are a tattered lace image from a disk then die cut, the swirls and butterfly are die-cut. Just put together, really – but, as I say, a complete departure for me.

So, that’s been my week folks. I have spent much time speaking with Chris (Mrs D) who found herself frozen into the canal in Shropshire, unable to move for several days, and with absolutely no internet signal. She has asked me to say thanks to everyone who visited last week and left comments on her blog post. She read and appreciated them all, but couldn’t reply. They are on the move again now – I’m not sure where they are headed next, but they can at least feel they are getting somewhere!!

Thanks to all those who visited my little offering last week. I really love reading your comments. I’ll do my best to get round again this week – may take me a couple of days…

Take care my friends. God bless.

Margaret